The present invention relates to tapping apparatus and, more particularly, to tapping apparatus which includes a tap assembly that can be more rapidly advanced to and retracted from a tapping station thereby increasing apparatus production capacity.
A significant problem encountered in tapping workpieces in punch press apparatus is that presented by workpiece heightened structure presenting obstruction to tool clearance for indexing the workpiece to present a next hole for tapping.
This is also true in the case where material lift is involved. Material lift is the distance a workpiece strip must move vertically in the indexing thereof to present a new strip part at a tapping station.
The distance varies from part to part, due to different bends or draws required to produce a part. In the past when a workpiece required a high material lift in production, different expedients had to be employed in order to tap a hole in the workpiece. These included using stripper mounted and bottom up tapping practices. Even with these adaptations, some parts still could not be tapped in a punch press apparatus.
Accordingly, it is desirable that a rapid advance lead screw assembly be provided for tapping apparatus which will make high lift parts simpler to tap as well as to allow parts heretofore thought untappable in a punch press to be tapped.